What does the cryptic crossword clue "Quarantine is over, not before time (7)" mean?

The definition is "Quarantine". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). IS (synonym="taken directly from surface") + O (synonym="over, cricket abbreviation") + LATE (synonym="”not before time”") = ISOLATE; definition: "Quarantine" The answer is ISOLATE.

Quarantine is over, not before time (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29450 | 7 Down | 2024-08-01 flower

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